North Carolina State University Athletics
Men's Hoopsters Hoping to Regroup
1/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
RALEIGH, N.C -- Moments after they had suffered through a humbling 75-61 loss to Maryland on Sunday, NC State's stunned basketball players tried their best to summarize what had hit them. Following a week of crisp and intense preparation, they had gone into the game feeling confident that a win over one of the nation's best teams was within reach.
But when it was over, the players were left to wonder how any team could come into their own house and win so convincingly. Sure there had been other disappointing losses this season, but this one seemed to take the wind out of everyone's sails more than some of the others. Deflated by its inability to score on a consistent basis in the second half, the Pack simply had no answers as a four-point halftime deficit grew to as many as 21 at one juncture.
Questions that were being asked by the media afterwards came in rapid-fire succession. But there were no easy answers.
"After a game like the one we had against Maryland, I don't expect our guys to be up," said Wolfpack coach Herb Sendek. "That short window of time that exists between the end of the game and when the media visits our team in the locker room doesn't allow for a great swing of emotion. But I think players are very resilient and they have the capacity to move quickly onto the next day."
Now 1-4 in league play, NC State will try to pull itself together in time for Thursday night's road game at Florida State. The Seminoles, who are 5-12 overall and 0-4 league play, are coming off a hard-fought 80-70 loss at home to 5th ranked North Carolina. After trailing by 19 at the half, the 'Noles battled back to make it a three-point game before Tar Heels' guard Joseph Forte erupted for 10 straight points to end the rally.
The status of injured guard Archie Miller remains the same. Miller, who leads the nation in three-point shooting (62 percent), is continuing his recovery from a stress fracture in his left leg.
"He's still out for an indefinite period of time," Sendek said. "He's wearing a boot on his leg to help him mobilize it. Hopefully things will heal as quickly as possible, but we really don't have any real sense of when he's going to return."
Lingering knee problems continue to hamper senior center Ron Kelley, who is available for limited duty in games although he doesn't practice.
